Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf (Printable)

Tangy lemon loaf with a crunchy poppy seed texture, ideal for breakfast or afternoon tea.

# What goes in:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
07 - Zest of 2 lemons
08 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
09 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
10 - ½ cup whole milk, room temperature
11 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ For the Glaze

13 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub together with fingertips to release citrus oils until fragrant.
04 - Whisk melted butter, eggs, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract into the sugar mixture until smooth and well blended.
05 - Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined. Do not overmix to maintain tender texture.
06 - Transfer batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula for even baking.
07 - Bake for 45–55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean or with moist crumbs.
08 - Allow the loaf to rest in the pan for 10 minutes to set before transferring to a wire rack.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar with fresh lemon juice until smooth and pourable, adjusting consistency as needed.
10 - Drizzle glaze over the completely cooled loaf. Allow glaze to set before slicing into 8 servings.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That perfect balance of tangy and sweet that makes you forget it's actually cake
  • The poppy seeds add this incredible little crunch in every single bite
  • It's one of those rare treats that somehow feels appropriate for breakfast AND dessert
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients actually matter here—cold eggs can cause the melted butter to seize up
  • The rubbing sugar into zest step isn't optional, it's what releases all those fragrant citrus oils
  • Letting the cake cool completely before glazing prevents all that beautiful icing from melting right off
03 -
  • Microplane zesters get way more of that fragrant yellow part and less of the bitter white pith
  • Sift the powdered sugar before making the glaze to avoid any lumpy surprises

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